Tuesday, February 5, 2013

TEST DRIVE by Julia Aitken

RISE TO NEW HEIGHTS

I’ve been a fan of Fusionbrands’ (fusionbrands.com)
products for a while. The designers there have a knack of coming up with
gadgets you never knew you needed… until you try them. A few years back, Fusionbrands’
Poach Pods (little silicon cups that float in simmering water, each cradling a
cracked egg) had me turning out picture-perfect poached eggs. Now, Fusionbrands
has another winner. The serveitup is a nifty plate stand can elevate (literally)
the most mundane of dishes.

The white porcelain base comes in two
sizes (the small accommodates 6- to 8-inch plates, the large 10- to 12-inch
plates) and is topped with a suction cup that fixes securely to any
flat-bottomed, non-porous plate, platter or bowl. You can even stack the small serveitup
atop the large for a fancier presentation. Even muffins look grand on this! (Small:
$29.99, large: $39.99; available locally at Linen Chest and Golda’s Kitchen
and, in Edmonton and Vancouver, at Call the Kettle Black.)

CAVIAR DREAMS

“Wit ought to be a glorious treat like
caviar; never spread it about like marmalade.” So said Noel Coward, a man who
certainly knew a thing or two about wit, and likely preferred caviar to any
breakfast spread. If you want to make like Coward this Valentine’s Day and
celebrate with “a glorious treat,” check out Northern Divine Caviar. This caviar’s
from Canada—yes, you read that right—and is the Real McCoy but, unlike other
sturgeon roe, you can savour these eggs with a clear conscience.

Certified organic by the Canadian Organic
Aquaculture Standard and recognized as sustainable by Ocean Wise, the caviar is
harvested from Frazer River white sturgeon, which are farmed in closed,
land-based pools in BC. The dark, glossy eggs burst crisply on the tongue (the
sign of a good caviar) and their smooth, slightly nutty, mild flavour makes this
an ideal “starter” caviar if you’ve never indulged before. ($88/30 g; order online—www.northerndivine.com—for
courier delivery to Canada and the US.)

WINTER WARMER

When the snow’s flying outside and
temperatures are plummeting, a salad for lunch doesn’t really cut it. Soup,
stew or chili is what you want and if it’s homemade, so much the better. But,
if you don’t have access to a microwave at work, what to do?

Trust Crock-Pot to
come up with a great solution. Its Lunch Crock Food Warmer is a personal-size
desktop appliance that warms up leftovers in time for lunch. Fill the sealable container
at home and tote it to work. Once at your desk, pop it in the Lunch Crock, turn
it on and your food will be piping hot by lunchtime. ($19.99, in blue, pink,
red and black; Home Hardware.)

Julia Aitken is a Canadian writer and editor who specializes in food and
drink, nutrition, lifestyle and décor. She is food editor of Expressions and Sears’ My Advantage magazine, a food writer for Food & Drink and Diabetes Dialogue magazines. Julia is also a freelance food editor for several leading Canadian publishers.

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about the cookbook store

The Cookbook Store opened at the corner of Yonge and Yorkville Ave and had a memorable 31 year run until March 5th, 2014 when the bricks and mortar store closed to make way for a condominium development. We will continue organizing author and chef events from time to time.